Thursday, November 29, 2007

Cyber-Launch Book Party for DOWN HOME ZOMBIE BLUES by Linnea Sinclair!

This is it! You've found it! Watch out for Zombie doo-doo. Jorie really has a way of shoving people's noses in it.

The glorious day for the the Cyber-Launch has finally arrived. Actually, the party runs all day today AND all day Friday. A drawing for zombie-related goodies will be held Friday night, 7 p.m. Alaska Time. I've been waiting since June because that's when I received the Advanced Reader's Copy and reviewed it. If you pop over to read the review, you'll notice it still had the old cover. Scroll down to the Archives on the left to find it in June 2007..

2007 has been a stellar year for Linnea Sinclair as an author, I think. She released GAMES OF COMMAND in March. I reviewed it on the old Star Captains' daughter blog. You can find it by scrolling down the left side of this blog to the link 'Kimber An's Blog.' Once on the Star Captains' Daughter blog, scroll down the right side until you find the link 'Star Captains' Log.' Click on that and look for the Games of Command Cyber-Launch in March 2007. My book reviewing really took off after that, so I created the Enduring Romance blog just for that. I reviewed GAMES OF COMMAND right here in April. Scroll down to the Archives to find it. GAMES OF COMMAND has one of my favorite heroes of all time, Branden Kel-Paton. Hey, I even have a Games of Command sweatshirt! I've talked to about five people about the book because of that shirt. Just last month I was in the grocery store with my little darlings and a lady kept looking at me funny. Finally, she said, "I love your shirt!" Loved the book, so I was eager to read and review DOWN HOME ZOMBIE BLUES. Both novels are excellent! Even though there aren't any babies (Kimber winks at Linnea.)

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I asked Linnea to answer a few interview-type questions and this is what she said:.

Kimber asked- Can you share the journey you took in creating DOWN HOME ZOMBIE BLUES? What first inspired you? How long has this story been in your head? Did it flesh out right away or did the details come later? How did the characters reveal themselves to you?.Linnea replied- Before I wrote science fiction romance for Bantam, I was a private detective in the St. Petersburg, FL area (before that, I was news reporter, but that’s another story…). I loved being a PI—research and puzzle-solving are two of my favorite things (well, after hitting the clearance racks at TJ Maxx or Steinmart). The Down Home Zombie Blues gave me a chance to play at being a detective again and bring in the science fiction romance part of me..I started writing ZOMBIE about four years ago. I have a very clear recollection of sitting upstairs in my (then) office in my (then) house in Palm Beach, FL (moved since then), pounding out chapters as my husband’s twenty-something year old daughter, Jaime, sat on the floor, reading them as they came out of the printer. Jaime makes a cameo appearance, by the way, as Homeland Security Secretary Jaime Warren in the end of the book. I felt it only fitting..But I never finished writing ZOMBIE because shortly thereafter I was contracted by Bantam and then I was in edits and such for the books they bought from me, including FINDERS KEEPERS and GABRIEL’S GHOST. I’m not one of those authors who can write two books at the same time. So ZOMBIE sat until the next time Bantam wanted books from me and I included several chapters with the proposal..My stories and characters flesh out pretty easily and quickly. That doesn’t mean there aren’t surprises. But what I end up with is very close to what I start with. I generally know most of what I need to know by the first chapter or two. Jorie and Theo were no exception. I do some freewriting before, kind of a “tell me about yourself and why I you here?”. But I learn best about my characters in action..I had an absolute blast writing Zombie and excellent input from some real live police officers and detectives, including Sgt. Steve Huskisson of the Plantation (FL) Police Department and Detective Sgt. Scott Peterson of the Collier County (FL) Sheriff’s Department. I’m sure they thought I was a bona-fide Signal 20 (mentally unstable person) with some of my questions, including having them theorize what they would do if they were abducted to an alien starship. But it gave me a better understanding not only of procedures that would have to be followed through the plot but also of the training and mindset Theo would have..What’s also fun about the book is that is went on sale November 27th. The actual action takes place starting mid-December. So the reader ostensibly could be reading the story on the day that action actually take place. Okay, not making myself clear here but I think you get the drift..I think of the books as “Men In Black meets CSI: Miami”. I hope readers of all genres find it a fun and fast-paced read..Kimber asked- Some of our guests are writers. Can you share your process for? What's your best advice on how they can improve the craft of writing to meet publication standards?.Linnea replied- Pre-Bantam or post-Bantam? Yeah, there’s a difference. Right now my process from taking a story from rough draft to submission-ready manuscript is don’t sleep, drink lots of coffee, ignore the husband, miss a month’s worth of hockey games and write. Before that, I had a life..But basically, writing to contract has made me damn the fact the I’m a pantser and I try to spend the time I’m not writing, learning to plot. I really don’t recommend how I write books to any sane person. Learn to plot, however you want to define that. It doesn’t have to be a formal outline. It can be freewriting. It can be 3x5 cards. It can be using one of those writing programs like PowerWriter or WriteWay. It doesn’t matter what method. The point is to do it..Right now I’m using PowerWriter but I’ve used WriteWay and both are really good. PowerWriter is saving my patootie with SHADES OF DARK (sequel to GABRIEL’S GHOST). It’s forcing me to at least sketch out what is likely to happen for the next two or more chapters. It’s invaluable in keeping my notes in one place, which is really why I bought it to begin with. I build cities, worlds, star systems, cultures, political systems, interiors and exteriors of starships and space stations in addition to the usual characters and such. I was writing all this down on various scraps of paper, which I ‘d subsequently lose. Or the cat would barf up a jellied chameleon (because they never really digest those lizards) on my notes and there was no way to recover what I’d written..But plotting comes pretty much after you’ve learned to write. To improve your WRITING (not necessarily your book production), Dwight V Swain’s TECHNIQUES OF THE SELLING WRITER is the answer. If you read only one how-to, that’s it. It’s my “Desert Isle Keeper” as AAR says..For me, as a reader and a writer, the crux of the story is conflict. The protagonist wants something, the antagonist prevents him from getting it. Or as excellent SF author Jacqueline Lichtenberg puts it (and her site—www.simegen.com—has a free writer’s school chock full of great tips): an urgent and undeniable I MUST slammed flat up against an equally as formidable YOU CANNOT. I’m paraphrasing that here but I hope you get the drift..So if you’re looking to get bought by an agent or a major publishing house, working the conflict is your story is critical. Learn the difference between conflict and complication (Jacqueline taught me that). My agent, Kristin Nelson, and I were talking about that a few months back and she said she realized that she rejects a lot of very nicely written manuscripts because the writer uses complication, and not conflict. Briefly, if Kimberly and Brad Pitt go on a picnic and ants show up, that’s complication. If Kimberly and Brad Pitt go on a picnic and Angelina Jolie shows up, that’s complication. The ants don’t care what Kimberly and Brad are doing. Angelina very sincerely gives a damn and will take action based on her feelings. {Kimber's Note: Don't worry, Angelina, I'm happily married and my husband's cuter anyway.}.Kimber asked- What experience do you hope readers will take away from reading DOWN HOME ZOMBIE BLUES?.Linnea replied- The same thing I’d want them to take away from any of my books: fun. I try to write what one would watch in the old “Saturday Afternoon At The Movies” mode. Fun, fast-paced, exciting, romantic. Characters you want to cheer for. I noticed a comment by a blogger/poster on one of those more literary, foo-foo kind of book forums (where books with deep, hidden symbolism and existential angst are rated highly) and one poster sniffed down his nose that my books were “good for beach reads.” Well, golly gee gosh-almightly. Yeah, they are. That’s exactly what I want to write: good, fun beach reads. Damned with faint praise, as they say..But specific to ZOMBIE, I hope readers also take away a little more respect for law enforcement. As I mentioned above, I worked very closely with a number of police officers and detectives. Their jobs are to a great extent, thankless. At one point in the story, Theo notes what he was taught by his field training officer: Be courteous and polite but never forget that the next person you meet you might have to kill. Most people find that quote amusing but the truth in it is what law enforcement deals with every day. So ZOMBIE is my tip of the hat in thanks to all the men and women in blue out there..Kimber asked- Here’s a question I’m just curious about: If the powers-that-be asked you to write a Star Wars or Star Trek novel, would you? Why or why not?.Linnea replied- I’d definitely think hard and long about it but I would be concerned with my ability to render someone else’s characters correctly. If I could invent my own characters for their world, sure. But I don’t know if I could properly write Leia or Kirk..Kimber asked- Can you tell us a little bit about your next novel? What’s the title? When is it due out?.Linnea replied- SHADES OF DARK is due out late July, 2008. It’s the closing of Chaz and Sully’s story with started in GABRIEL’S GHOST (2006 RITA award winner.) I get asked to go into details on SHADES a lot but I’m reluctant to because it’s a bit difficult to do so without revealing spoilers for GABRIEL’S. I know. What? Not everyone on the planet’s read GABRIEL’S GHOST. Shocks me, too. But they haven’t. I’ve been shelved in science fiction and, in spite of the RITA win, a lot of romance readers aren’t familiar with my books. SHADES will be shelved in romance (I’m told) and pitched as a romance novel (some of my books are shelved in romance but that’s because store managers know my readership. I’m technically not listed as a romance author with the chain bookstores). Suffice it to say, SHADES is just as intense as GABRIEL’S. Just a lot more steamy. Yeah, I see Kimberly sitting back in shock. Me, too. I love to write sexual tension, flirtations, the longing… the chase interests me more than the capture, as they say, and my books reflect that. While I don’t slam the bedroom door shut, I don’t put my characters intimate moments under klieg lights, either. {Kimber's Note: Shocked? Me? And just how do you think I got pregnant four times? They weren't Immaculate Conceptions, Bub!}

.But SHADES, well, it’s steamy. My critique partners went….wow. I didn’t know you would write like that. ::fans self::.I think why I can with SHADES is that Sully and Chaz are an established couple, for all intents and purposes, married. This is not wild passion exploding in the first ten minutes of meeting (something that sometimes gives me pause as to its plausibility). This is a committed relationship. Plus, Sully being Sully (see, I can’t get into spoilers here) and being a bit unique, well, making love to Chaz has a special purpose and meaning. And a very special purpose to the plot..I’m dancing around facts, I know. Best I can do. Here’s Bantam official back cover blurb, per latest update:.For two fugitive lovers, space has no haven,no mercy, no light—only....SHADES OF DARK.LINNEA SINCLAIRAward-winning author of The Down Home Zombie Bluesand Gabriel’s Ghost.Before her court-martial, Captain Chasidah “Chaz” Bergren was the pride of the Sixth Fleet. Now she’s a fugitive from the “justice” of a corrupt Empire. Along with her lover, the former monk, mercenary, and telepath Gabriel Ross Sullivan, Chaz hoped to leave the past light-years behind—until the news of her brother Thad’s arrest and upcoming execution for treason. It’s a ploy by Sully’s cousin Hayden Burke to force them out of hiding and it works..With a killer targeting human females and a renegade gen lab breeding jukor war machines, Chaz and Sully already had their hands full of treachery, betrayal—not to mention each other. Throw in Chaz’s ex-husband, Admiral Philip Guthrie, and a Kyi-Ragkiril mentor out to seduce Sully and not just loyalties but lives are at stake. For when Sully makes a fateful choice changing their relationship forever, Chaz must also choose—between what duty demands and what her heart tells her she must do..Kimber asked- Wow! Sounds like more rip-roaring good fun! Is there anything else you want to share about DOWN HOME ZOMBIE BLUES?.Linnea replied- Well, if readers buy it RIGHT NOW they can be reading the action as if it was happening in real time. The story starts mid-December and involves the December holiday season (though it’s NOT a “Christmas story” by any means). So you could be reading what Theo and Jorie are doing on the day before Christmas, actually ON the day before Christmas. I think that’s kind of fun..Linnea Sinclairhttp://www.linneasinclair.com/ -- www.myspace.com/linneasinclairRITA(c) Award Winning SF Romance from Bantam Spectra2005: FINDERS KEEPERS, GABRIEL'S GHOST, AN ACCIDENTAL GODDESSComing 2007-08: GAMES OF COMMAND, THE DOWN HOME ZOMBIE BLUES, SHADES OF DARK.

Speaking of rip-roaring good fun, I really must go finish putting together the party. Linnea will give away a prize in the drawing Friday night. If you want to enter, just make sure to comment and that your username is linked to same way for me to contact you.."All right! Who let Junior have coffee?"

P.S. Please be respectful of my younger friends at the party. Thank you.;)

77 comments:

Kimber An stands in the middle of her new party room, hunched over a clipboard with pen in hand. She wears an outfit identical to Guinan from Star Trek The Next Generation. She glances up at Junior sweeping away the sawdust and remembers how the old party room blew up.

It was Patricia Wood’s party for LOTTERY and Junior had mistaken the microwave oven for a Star Trek replicator needing to be fixed.

Angelica folds her arms and glares. “When are you going to start taking your job seriously?”

“Hey, I’m just here for the free…” Junior sees Jed, Octavius, and Akmun-Ra leap through the Chamber and smirks “…chocolate.” She saunters over, takes one in each arm, and laughs over the third whining at being left out.

Angelica faces Kimber and throws a hand in Junior’s direction. “Are you going to do anything?”

“I’m a married woman pushing forty. I get around hot young guys and I turn into a big sister baking cookies.”

“That’s not what I mean!”

Just then, a towering woman leaps through the Chamber in a flash of sparkling light.

Angelica screams and stumbles back against the bar. "It's Queen Keira!"

Kimber groans. "That's the delivery girl from the Intergalactic Bar & Grille. Keira's one of Susan Grant's. She won't arrive unless Susan does and I don't even know if she's coming." She accepts the deliver confirmation clipboard and signs. "Thanks. Watch out for re-entry. It's a killer."

"Oh, wow." Linnea clutches her mug of latte that says Real Women Do Read [Kick Butt] Science Fiction Romance around the edge. "You're totally right, Theo. Those PMaT transfer are a little...unusual." She glances down into the frothy foam in the mug, then takes a sip. "Coffee's fine. I'm good to go."

"Hey, this is great!" Sgt. Theo Petrakos curls his fingers through Jorie's hand and tugs her toward the windows. "I've never been to Alaska before. Uh, this is Alaska, isn't it?"

"You'll ask her what?" Jorie asks, frowning. She has on white jeans and a white THE DOWN HOME ZOMBIE BLUES sweatshirt, making her deep honey-colored skin almost glow. Other than the strange gizmos hanging off her belt, it's difficult to discern Commander Jorie Mikkalah is from a distant star system.

Kimber An, great interview! As usual Linnea gives writers' a much needed butt kicking over the importance of conflict (although I'd much rather talk to Angelina than Brad, and I'd be happy if she showed up when I was with him.... not that being with Pretty Boy Pitt would be bad).

Linnea, thanks for taking time away from your looming deadline to share your pearls of wisdom on writing and outlining (at least a few chapters ahead) - it's how I'll be writing my next WIP. I've already read that Swain book - again.

And great insights here about the mind-set of cops.

Something tells me I won't get to see you on the 8th, so I'll take the opportunity here to wish you much luck with "Zombie" and I hope the year ahead is more peaceful for you that this one has been.

"Hey, Kimber Chin!" Kimber An is filling an Alaskan-size mug of coffee for Linnea at the Super-Turbo Coffemaker. "Don't worry about it. I'm white-as-a-bleached sheet too, and I think I do Guinan pretty good." She sees more friends coming in. "Gwyneth, hey, check out my double-banana chocolate cheesecake. Or, if you want something more healthy, there's rabbit food at the end of the bar."

Angelica comes out of the kitchen wiping her hands. "Why am I on zombie doo-doo clean-up duty? Where's that irritating little space-brat any..." She sees Jorie. "Ahhhh!!!!" She runs over and grabs her arm. "You so totally rock! I am a huge fan!"

Rolling eyes, Kimber strolls over, hands Linnea her coffee, and peels Angelica's fingers off Jorie's arm. "Sorry about that. Jorie, this is Angelica and..." A whiny sound draws her attention and she looks to see Angelica faint dead away on the floor. "She's at a very impressionable stage in her development as a kick-butt heroine." She kneels and starts dragging Angelica behind the bar. "By the way, this isn't Alaska, Theo. It's an alternate dimension of reality. Oh, and that jar over there is peanut butter for Jorie. I have more in the back too. Enjoy the party!"

I'm glad to know someone else who doesn't write two books at once! I can work on another when I'm editing the previous one but it does help to be fully immersed.Hey I remember the oven and the replicator from MY party - Does that mean we don't have a new microwave?Gweneth I'm with you - Where IS the food *sniffs air with new bionically created nose*

"'Come fly with me, Sweet Josephine...'" Kimber sings off-key, coming out with drinks for Josephine and Orion. She peers at Orion's bionic nose. "Obviously, all your children have grown up and left home. But, how do you manage cleaning the kitty litter box with that thing?"

I must confess to being one of those who hasn't read Gabriel's Ghost. I know, I know, Sacrilege! I have a hard copy and an e copy [btw, searchable ebooks come in really handy when you're trying to answer contest questions ;)]. But lately I've had the very bad habit of gulping books which ruins those that are more nuanced. I started doing that with GG and had to put it aside to stop myself.

Anyway - steamy Linnea? I can't wait! I think that's the impetus I need to finally settle down to GG.

Tomorrow, I'm going to an actual brick & mortar specifically for Zombie. And since I have a coupon, I'll be forced to buy several books. It's about time I read Magic Lost. Now, if only Eye of the Beholder were out, I'd have the makings of a list.

Kimber ducks to miss the flying pie, but Lisa doesn't. She tosses Lisa a towel as Angelica whips out a lightsaber and charges after Junior. They smash through tables and trip zombies. "Well...at least they've got a hobby." She refills Lisa's glass. "I have feeling Angelica's going to kick her butt this time. So, I guess maybe she's learning something after all!"

Shrieking obscenities, Angelica chases Junior back the other way and this time Lisa ducks when a pitcher of beer smashes on the wall behind her head.

Kimber rubs her chin. "I just don't want to be the one to tell Angelica she can't use a lightsaber in MANIC KNIGHT."

Kimber catches MaryK before she steps in zombie doo-doo. "Careful now." She reaches for the super-duper-pooper-scooper. "My two helpers are busy trying to rip each other's hair out. I'll have to clean this up myself. Thanks for coming! Want a glass of Romulan Ale or something from the Intergalactic Bar & Grille?"

(Mops off her face with a towel.) "Pie in the face, beer spattered. Jeez. Looks like I'm gonna need some backup. Linnea, who do you think would be better at restoring some order to this place: Tam, the wicked sexy, bad-boy goblin dark mage; or Mychael, the white-magic wielding, butt-kickin', law-enforcing Guardian? Who will it be? Guest of honor's choice." ; )oqwoj

"Mychael? Oooh, I have the sudden urge to bake chocolate chip cookies." Kimber fans her collar.

Just then, Angelica comes running out of the bar holding Junior by the back of the collar and the back of the pants. She runs her straight into the Temporal Vortext Chamber. It flashes and the irritating little space brat vanishes. Breathing relief, she brushes off her hands and grabs a bar-mopping towel. Wiping her face clean, she gives Kimber a smug look. "I think I'm starting to get this whole kick-butt heroine thing. I could do this for a living."

Linnea, congratulations on your new release! May it fly off the shelves in droves to the ends of the universe.

I have a question for you. There's been a lot of conversations around the science fiction and romance elements of DHZB, but with the word "zombie" in the title, I have to ask: what are your zombie influences? Are there some favorite zombie movies that went into the creation of this book?

I think it's great that you've done a fresh spin on zombies--namely, zombies in outer space (not as cheesy as it sounds, eh? It's all in the execution).

(and for anyone wanting to get their zombie groove on, may I recommend Lucio Fulci's film ZOMBI 2 and the graphic novel series THE WALKING DEAD? Those are horror stories, obviously, but worth checking out).

Linnea, I'm all set with my copy of DHZB, large cup of coffee, and enough peanut butter to keep me going for most of the book!

Sully makes a fateful decision that affects his and Chaz's relationship forever? How will I be able to wait until next year to find out what happens? Thank goodness I can dream about Theo(or Kel-Paten or Rhis or Mack...)between now and then!

The Temporal Vortex Chamber flashes and Kimber An leaps through. "Whew!" She straightens her big Guinan hat and flips her dreadlocks over her back. "Sorry I disappeared like that. I got sucked back into Reality for a while. HH needed some things for making dinner. I know sometimes it just doesn't matter if a man can cook, but I'm so glad mine does!" She saunters over to the bar, glancing around and wondering if she has chocolate chips in the kitchen. "Oh! I do have good news for Linnea. DOWN HOME ZOMBIE BLUES is on the shelves in Alaska. I'm not really surprised. Science Fiction Romance seems to be hot here. The stores are always stocked with the books of Linnea Sinclair and Susan Grant."

Seeing a flash of red hair among the crowd, Kimber cinches her brows together and sends her hands to hips. "Junior! Stop unwinding the mummies! They'll catch colds and keep Michelle Moran up all night. Do you really want that on your conscious? Wrap them back up now!" She grabs a tray and starts clearing a table of empty glasses.

Angelica comes out of the kitchen, wiping hands on apron. She points a thumb at Junior. "Who let her back in?"

A party during November? I've still got so many words to write for Nanowrimo!

*whips out the laptop and starts typing away despite the noise*

Must... get... word count...

New novels to read is for December! Nice reminder that people are doing other things though besides Nanowrimo. ;)

Oh! Is that someone calling me? Must be my new characters... catch the new book in a few days when the madness is over. *rushes back to the languishing nanowrimo novels howling lugubriously for word count*

Remind me next year that writing three novels in 30 days is a BAD idea.

"Well, I'll remind you, Ardyth, but your characters sound like they don't listen to you any better than mine do. They'll probably nag you to death until you do what they want." Kimber takes a chocolate chip cookie from her tray and tosses it to her. "Sometimes, the best you can do is distract them for a while." She sets down the tray. "Like this. Angelica!" She winks at Ardyth. "Angelica has a thing for pilots. I don't know where she gets it from."

Angelica looks up from sneaking around a chair to spy on Jorie. She mouths the word. "What?"

Kimber points to the other side of the room. "It's Maverick from TOP GUN!"

Angelica screams, leaps up, and races across the dance floor. Hitting a splat of zombie doo-doo, she slides into a hot goblin and trips him onto his backside. Spying a hot male pilot in brown leather bomber jacket who bears a striking resemblance to Tom Cruise, she elbows the goblin in the nose and chases him down.

"Hmmm." Kimber shrugs. "Oh, well. I plucked him out of the 80's. He's only twentysomething and not a married dad yet."

Kimber tosses an Aldarian chocolate to Jana. "Glad you came!" She whips out a plasma-pistol and turns to Anissa. "Oh, no. Those little buggers are just for target practice." She proceeds to blast a few off the walls. They explode green goo all over her guests. "Oh, it's okay. They're holographic. You Trekkies keep phasers on stun anyway, 'kay?"

I found the party! (waving, one-handed, holding a bag of goodies). I am getting ready to fly to Japan for work in the morning and before I go I wanted to come by and congratulate Linnea on DHZB finally being released! Woo!

Kimber, where can I set down this stuff? Let's see, I have some meteoric bubbly from the gamma nebula, and my friend Admiral Brit Bandar suggested I bring a few bottles of kin-kan wine. Also, I did bring a tray of jellied chameleon...um, but after reading your interview with Ms. Sinclair, Kimber, I'm wondering if maybe I should have brought shimmer chips or something, say, less...recycled. (shrugs, wipes hands).

clara bow said: **I have a question for you. There's been a lot of conversations around the science fiction and romance elements of DHZB, but with the word "zombie" in the title, I have to ask: what are your zombie influences? Are there some favorite zombie movies that went into the creation of this book?**

None. No zombie influences. Zombies are Jorie's words. It's her expression or actually acronym that never made it into the book.

I mean, when we used to say "groovy", did things actually have ridges?

Working off the top of my head here (on the wrong computer because I have SHADES up on the other one), ZOMBIE was Zeta Organic Mech-Bio-organism for Infiltration and Exploration. I think some of you may know the site I used to derive that. ;-)

"Oh, hey, Susan, glad you could make it! Can I take those for you?" Kimber takes Susan's offerings to the bar. "I have someone here who is dying to meet you. Angelica!" She looks around. "Now, where did she get off to?"

Kimber spies Junior rigging up a pulley system to dump a bucket of raspberry jelly on Angelica's head as she peers around a corner, spying on Lisa. "Hmmm, Angelica's probably wondering when Mychael will be arriving." Checks her watch. "Pardon me, Susan. This will only take minute." She eyes the boys from NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM helping Junior like a litter of adoring puppy dogs. A grin curls her lips. "Oh, yeah. This is going to be good."

Kimber steps out and pulls a remote control device from her pocket. She points it at the Temporal Vortex Chamber.

The Chamber flashes and a towering Irishman bearing a striking resemblance to Liam Neesun leaps through.

"Hey, Captain Delano!" Kimber waves at him.

"Kimber, hello." He walks over. "Have you seen my wife?"

"No, but your daughter is right over there with those boys." Kimber points, barely stopping a smirk.

"Hey, Laurie!" Kimber waves while waiting for Angelica to pick her way through the dancing crowd. "Sure, have a coke and whatever. I'll go check in the back for a billins."

Angelica knocks down a goblin. "Get out of my way!"

"Angelica!" Kimber gives her The Look.

Angelica grumps and glances at the goblin. "Sorry."

"You've been hanging out with the Klingons again." Kimber thumps her shoulder. "Susan, may I introduce you to Angelica. She's a pilot too. Only, she's just getting started with this whole kick-butt heroine thing."

Angelica shakes hands. "Nice to meet you."

Kimber smacks her arm. "'Nice to meet you?' You nearly had a massive coronary heart attack when you thought the delivery girl was Queen Keira. Susan is Keira's official transcriber."

"Ahhh!" Angelica flails her arms around. "Can you get her autograph for me?"

Kimber leans towards Susan. "Don't let her drink anything around you or the Queen. Captain Janeway's still cleaning root beer out of her ears."

Angelica, it's great to meet you, too! You say you're learning to fly. A friend loaned me her re-rigged X-wing starfighter--a two seater for training. I'm takin' her up for a spin. Want to join me after the party's over?

Kimber, wonderful festivities, as always, and you look fabuloso! Well, ducking out for a bit. If you're all still partying when I reach Japan, I'll join you, otherwise, it's been great seeing everyone. And, Linnea, it looks like Zombie is getting some richly deserved kudos!

Scanning the room, he spots more friendly faces..."Hi Lisa! Hey, Linnea!"... and one not so friendly: Linnea's stasis-bound zombie. "Whoa! And I thought they were ugly in my mind's eye."

David gives an involuntary shudder, then looks around, spotting Theo and Jorie chatting amiably with some of the other guests. Brushing an errant metal shaving from his shirt sleeve, he heads their way, anxious to meet some real zombie hunters.

Thanks, Kimber, I have been well taken care of; this is a great party! I've just met Linnea and her wonderful cast of characters. They have become a part of my life- I've introduced them to my mom and now she's hooked, too.

Do you think you could introduce me to Susan Grant? Her books are starting to find places on my book shelf, night stand, kitchen table, counters, end tables...well, you get the idea!

"Learning to fly? Heck, no! I was born in the cockpit of a Cessna 180." Angelica accepts a glass of grape juice from a passing goblin, but Kimber takes it away as she steps behind the bar. They exchange glares. "I'd just finished my second year at the Air Force Academy when she..." she points after Kimber "...sent the bad guy aliens to blow up my chicken coop and then..."

Hi, everyone, just dropping in for a short visit to congratulate Linnea on another great book! I confess I read DHZB last Friday evening ... very glad it was the weekend so I could stay up as late as it took ... because I was NOT putting it down until I got to the HEA!!

Plasma-rifle at the ready, Kimber walks over to jdvictoria without taking her eyes off the goblin. "Hi, jd. Welcome to the party."

The Chamber flashes and a dark-haired woman in dark blue uniform leaps through with four of her crew.

"Olivia, thank goodness you're here." Kimber hands over the plasma-rifle. "jd, this is Junior's mother, Captain Olivia O'Keefe. She's heading up the graveyard shift around here. If that zombie wakes up, she'll have Jorie, Theo, and the guys from MEN IN BLACK here on the double. She'll also keep Junior out of trouble, because, you know, that's how it is for mothers who work outside the home in any century."

Maverick? Pfeh. I remember a real Top Gun (he'd just won at William Tell at Tyndall AFB, and had a sunburn from too much time outside in the sun there) and knocking over a stack of Aviation Weeks on the couch (yes, really....).Nice party, even though I'm half asleep and should have gone to bed two hours ago... have to get back to testing a Deathstar (yes, really that, too...) at work tomorrow.... I'll just have a boilermarker, give a couple loud cheers for Linnea's new book getting out and sit in the corner and gaze wistfully at Mychael before toddling off.... And NO, you are NOT going to get me to play in that carrier landing game over there on that long table. No way! Didn't do when I was on active duty and young and stupider, not gonna do it now!

Lisa enters the party room and slams the door against the wall. She growls. Mychael is standing behind her with a bemused grin on his face.

"Sorry we're late." Lisa looks around the room. There's two zombies passed out at a table next to the bar. And a seething mass in the corner turns out to be a pile of sleeping, snoring tribbles. There are a couple of suspiciously empty beer pitchers scattered on the floor around them.

"Kimber An, please tell me you've got coffee brewing -- and muffins baking. Mychael and I are late because I had NO INTERNET ACCESS last night." (growls) "I am not amused. Though on the upside, I did get a chapter finished for The Trouble With Demons."

The Temporal Vortext Chamber Flashes and Kimber An emerges, pushing a cart filled with muffins and fresh fruit. She makes it all the way onto the dancefloor before its mobbed by guests. Backing away to save herself, she sees Olivia standing guard near the Super-Turbo-Coffemaker and walks over. "Morning."

"So it would seem," says Olivia. "How were your little ones night?"

"One nightmare and a wardrobe malfunction on the potty. How were things here?" Kimber fills a mega-mug of coffee.

"A Nausican sneaked in and injected the zombie with zeta-morphine."

Kimber eyes Lisa still singing with the zombie. "I wonder how long that will keep him from eating the guests?"

"I can't imagine."

"Where's Junior?" Kimber sips.

Olivia nods in the direction.

Junior looks up from scrubbing the dancefloor with a toothbrush.

Kimber takes another sip. "You're a wonderful mother, you know."

"Thanks. You too. Shall we see if there are any bananas left?"

"Yes, let's." Kimber follows Olivia to the debris field left by the muffin cart.

Guests wonder off, munching their treats. Someone starts up the jukebox, only to be bombarded by green jello with orange slices in it. He or she quickly shuts it off while everyone recovers in their coffee cups.

"Mychael!" Linnea takes a sip of latte and hurries in the Guardian's direction. "Listen, doll baby, I have two people you absolutely have to meet."

She grabs his bicep and tugs. (Whoa! Nice muscles, dude!)

The tall Guardian eyes her suspiciously.

"Sweetbuns, relax. I'm an author. I can do whatever I want with you."

"That," he says in a melodious voice, "is exactly what I'm afraid of. She," and he thrusts one finger at Lisa, "is brutal."

"And that's why I love her. Conflict is the essence of story, or so quoth the great Jacqueline Lichtenberg. Now, over here. I have another Guardian for you to meet, and her friend, Theo. Detective Sergeant Theo Petrakos." She stresses Thoe's rank.

Mychael relaxes. "Ah, someone else from the job. Now that's a party I can relate to."

Kimber An's eyes are just getting steady on her third cup of coffee when she hears a low, rumbling sound and then a scream. She looks to see the Zombie come fully awake and grab David Gray. "JORIE! THEO! Your zombie is starting to eat the guests!"

::Linnea looks casually over her shoulder as Kimber screams:: "Kimber, David Gray IS David Gray, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Sniper in the book. He's well--"

::David whips out a .357 Magnum and nails the zombie in its white heart (guess it won't be singing much anymore), just as Theo leans back and shatters one of the creature's lower legs with a shot from his Glock.::

"--trained," Linnea finishes.

David brushes himself off, reholster the Magnum then retrieves his bottle of Fiji water he'd dropped in order to off the zombie.

"See what happens when a reader and fan becomes a friend?" Linnea nudges Kimber. "They end up with an actual starring role in a Linnea Sinclair book. Trust me, I'm a dangerous person to know."

"I can confirm that," David calls out as he passes by. "I've seen her in action at an RT BOOKlovers convention."

Grabs his Charbucks mild Breakfast Blend accentuated with 3 packs of Splenda, straightens his tux, red bow tie and spats, types with one hand and wishes Linnea a wonderful second distribution day !!!!Woohooo!!!

"Pssst. Did you hear the one about the stupid Zombie that was sitting at a traffic light and started backing his car up because the person next to him wanted to make a turn around him? Geez. You heard that one! Oh well :)"

Kimber leans back against the bar and contemplates telling Linnea the name of the Security Chief on the USS Dauntless in STAR CAPTAINS' DAUGHTER. "Nah. I'll wait and see if it actually gets published first." She takes a plate filled with muffins, oranges, and bananas to Mikey. "Actually, I haven't heard that joke. I have only one joke of my own. What do you call it when an old lady takes her poodle for a walk on a leash in Alaska? Trolling for eagles!" She throws her head back in laughter, not really caring if anyone gets it or not. She's totally buzzed on coffee at this point.

Beth slips in unnoticed during the gun-play, totally in awe to be in the same room as her favorite authors and characters. She had just gotten up the nerve to ask David Gray if he was the sniper friend of Theo's or her fellow patron of the Intergallactic Bar and Grill. "Wow! Both! Too cool!"

Eases in, leans his golf bag by the door, grabs a diet coke. (shot a 78 today :( ). It was a little chilly playing golf in a tux :). Hopes he too can be a Linnea Sinclair character (well he already is one :)), but he means a fictional character. Of course, I can't imagine the game of golf surviving our exploration of outer space.I'm in one of Misty's elemental masters series books :)Btw, Linnea, if you guys are ever up this way (DC), I belong to the golf club which is next on the list behind Congressional CC. It was considered as an alternative for the Tiger Woods AT&T National.Leans back against the bar, hoisting his DC.

Kimber, I have ZOMBIE t-shirts (small-XXL), mousepads, totes and mugs. It don't make no nevermind to me what you give away. And I will ship over the pond. So you chose two lucky winners however your little heart desires, and then pick something out for yourself.

Mikey, Rob played the Hide-Out this week and Everglades Club today. He's in a pseudo "Ryder Cup" with some guys from a club in Maryland (annual thing). I think he shot even. Whatever it was, they won their matches today. I try not to ask too many questions. Hyperspace I get. Golf, I don't. ;-)

"Hey, Mikey, ever play snow-golf? Some hardy souls play it up here in Alaska." Kimber hears groaning and whimpering.

Delano shoves open the door and drags Octavius and Akmun-Ra by their capes. He's got Jed by the ear. Hurling them through the Temporal Vortext Chamber, he scans the room until his gaze settles on his wife.

Standing next to Kimber, Olivia looks her husband up and down and smirks when he blushes. She approaches and takes his chin hand. "You need to shave."

Junior comes out of the kitchen. She flaps a towel at her parents. "What are they doing?"

Kimber tucks a twin into the double-hover-buggy. "What do you mean?"

Olivia starts for the Chamber. "You need a shower too."

Delano turns to follow her, trips over a Tribble, and comes up grinning. They disappear into the Chamber.

"Oh, that is so disgusting!" Junior throws her towel down. "Aren't they too old for that?"

Angelica walks by. "At least your parents get a room first."

J grabs a couple of oranges to juggle. "They're just a lovin' and a cherishin'."

Kimber laughs.

Junior walks away. "You people make me want to throw up."

"Hey, Linnea, all I want is an *autographed* copy of DOWN HOME ZOMBIE BLUES. People are always sending me ARCs, but I so rarely get an autographed copy of any of them. I either get them electronically or the publisher sends them to me direct. And sometimes the authors just forget.":o(

[looking over from slouching on the sidelines.... An astronaut hit a golfball on the moon. And as regards northerly golf... I came in dead last in the Mt Dundas Open, the world's most northerly golf tournament. First thing one has to do is climb up Mt Dundas....there wasn't any "casual Arctic water" aka "ice" there that day, though. It was in the summer, and the sun had been up for a few weeks, making circles in the sky.

"Who wants a kiss?" he says, then breaks into a mischievous grin as he holds forth a plastic grocery bag. "Chocolate, that is. I've got milk, dark and the swirled kind here. Got some peanut-butter cups for Jorie, too. Shall I put 'em on the bar, Kimber An?"

David takes two steps in that direction, slips on a sleeping tribble and tosses the grocery bag, arms windmilling in an effort to stay upright while not squishing the furry little guy.

Attracted by the comotion and the mention of her name (not to mention glorious peanutbutter) Jorie arrives just in time snag the bag in its downward arc.

"Nice catch, Commander."

"Guardian training," she replies with a grin, opening the bag to peer inside. "We learn to be ready for anything, even flying chocolate." She grins again, turns on her heel and heads for the bar.

David scoops up the awakened but no longer squalling tribble and sets it on his shoulder, smiling at the quiet purr now eminating from it.

Wow! Comes up off the bar stool, spilling his DC. Nicklaus!!!!My club's name is Member's Club at Four Streams. We do have an annual match down there as well, with another Steve Smyers' designed course. I don't remember the name. I have played in the snow, only because we were on the 15th hole and as far from the club house as you can get. Linnea, golf spelled backwards is a more apt description of the game :)And yah, I know an astronaut hit a golf ball on the moon. I just can't see a frivolous game (I know heresy) being played on a planet where the population has to worry about being fried by unfriendlies. Star field doubles aside :)Grabs another diet coke from the bar, picks up Tank and settles back onto the stool. He watches smiling as the tribble multiplies on David's shoulder, purring all the way.

"Chocolate?" Kimber looks up from bottlefeeding the other twin. "Hey!" She tucks it under her chin so as not to dislodge if from the baby's mouth. "Gimme some of that before someone gets hurt." She grabs a handful and wonders if there is any milk left to go with it.

"Oh, by the way, Blog Buddies, only 50 minutes left until the drawing. If you want to enter, you must leave a comment with a way to contact you. If your username is linked to your blog or website, that works fine. Or, just leave your email address. Those who do not leave a way of contact will not be entered into the drawing. I now return you to your regularly scheduled party. Has anyone seen Weird Al?"

"But Kimber An, I'm right here," says David, three tribbles adorning the top of his head. "Oh well, rules is rules. My contact addy is dkgray@grandecom.net. So, we can take some of these little guys home with us?"

"Oh, yeah, take all the Tribbles you want. Just be careful what and how much you feed them." Kimber lugs a fire hose out from behind the bar. "All right, Blog Buddies, this party's over. Time to clean up. Clear out of the way if you down want to get blasted down the drains!"

The guests run screaming out of the way as Kimber unleashes watery heck. Her head falls back in wicked laughter as all the zombies fly off their feet.

All righty, we've drawn two winners. I can't announce them until I've received word from them and Linnea that they all know they've won. Congratulations to the winners and thanks for another fabulous novel, Linnea!

"Hey, kpon, it's better late than never. Watch your step. I'm done blasting the place with a fire hose and I'm about to send Junior and Angelica in with their mops and buckets. Of course, Junior wants to use a phased-energy device from the 23rd century to clean up her side, but her mother won't let her. It wouldn't be fair and, besides, she got a little too rowdy tormenting Angelica this party. I don't know about you, but I can still hear her whining about it all the way out here."

Laurie picks herself up from under a table and rubs a palm over her face. "Whoa. Party's over already? Did I miss Mychael? Hey, I didn't get a chance to talk shop with Theo. Or Linnea or Lisa. Last thing I remember was...uh...actually, I don't remember a thing." She shakes off the blearies and spies Kimber An smirking at her. "Well, you know what they say, it's not the years that age you, it's the weekends. And the Cyber Parties."

She smiles at Kimber and adjusts the earset on her right ear. "OK, Drea, send in the reinforcements."

"Wooo-hooo!" Junior jumps up and down, pumping the air with her fists. "Auntie Laurie and Auntie Drea are here with the robotic maids!"

Angelica slaps a hand over her heart. "I really love you guys." She chucks her broom out the window. "Let's hear it for modern technology!"

"Futuristic technology, actually." Kimber pats her shoulder. "Sorry, I have your temporal perception goofed up these days. I have a lot more research to conduct for MANIC KNIGHT." She high-fives Laurie and Drea. "Thanks for helping out!"

Late to the party, but I wanted to say congrats on the new release, Linnea! I completely understand your process as I am at the moment ignoring family, dog, laundry and cyber parties (boo!) to make my deadline. I'll just grab some left-over hors d'oeuvres on the way out...

"Hi, Linda Gerber!" Kimber is polishing the brass fixtures on the bar. "I'm reading FINNISH LINE right now, as a matter of fact, and will be reviewing it Thursday. Feel free to pick over the leftovers but stay away from the G'hack. It's already gone bad."